Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Chapter 11: Writing for Broadcast
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Broadcast writers often use the acronym ______ as a guiding principle for their work.
A. KISS
B. KITT
C. GIGO
D. ASAP
2. ______ writing means sticking firmly to the noun–verb or noun–verb–object sentence.
A. Contemporary
B. Concise
C. Communal
D. Concrete
3. In broadcast, the audience members only get ______ chance(s) to hear what the
reporter said.
A. zero
B. two
C. one
D. three
4. In broadcast writing, complex numbers are written ______.
Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
A. in exact numbers
B. in as many decimal places as possible
C. precisely
D. in accurate approximations
5. Radio consumption happens primarily ______.
A. in vehicles
B. at home
C. at work
D. in waiting rooms
6. Most broadcast scripts are ______.
A. written in longhand
B. typed and double- or triple-spaced
C. typed and single-spaced
D. hand printed
7. When you type your script, look for opportunities to recast your verbs in ______.
A. past perfect tense
B. past tense
C. present tense
D. future tense
8. Broadcast scripts often include phonetic elements called ______.
A. platonics
B. phonics
C. announcers
D. pronouncers
9. When you need to use abbreviations, you can use ______ to dictate how you want
someone to pronounce something.
A. hyphens and spacing
B. bold
C. title case
D. italics
10. Audience members who are told stories are used to ______ stories.
A. reverse chronological
B. chronological
C. inverted-pyramid
D. expanded inverted-pyramid
11. The lead of a broadcast story is written akin to a ______.
A. paraphrase
B. print or Web lead
C. print or Web headline
D. direct quote
12. If a print story is a pyramid, a broadcast story is more of a(n) ______.
A. expanded inverted pyramid
B. expanded pyramid
C. rectangle
D. circular story
13. The reporter can use a personal sign-off that includes the station’s call letters in
______.
A. the close
B. the lead
C. the middle
D. the top
14. When journalists create stories for broadcast, the goal is to use the video and the
spoken words ______.
A. to go against each other
B. to augment and support each other
C. to disappear over time
D. to melt into one over time
15. Small portions of the interviews are called ______.
A. blurbs
B. snippets
C. soundbites
D. buzz
16. ______ is the simplest form of storytelling in broadcast, as it involves nothing but a
script and the anchor or reporter.
A. Package
B. VO/SOT
C. Voice-over
D. Reader
17. The ______ story starts with the journalist reading the first sentence from the story
while on camera.
A. voice-over
B. package
C. reader
D. VO/SOT
18. ______ integrates the use of a soundbite or two into a story.
A. Package
B. VO/SOT
C. Reader
D. Voice-over
19. In ______ type of story, reporters edit the video and voice their script in advance so
that the entire story is ready to plug into the newscast.
A. VO/SOT
B. reader
C. package
D. voice-over
Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
20. ______ type of story involves integrating interaction between the reporter and the
anchor during a live newscast.
A. VO/SOT
B. Reader
C. Package
D. LOS
1. Broadcast writers often use the acronym KISS as a guiding principle for their work.
2. Complex writing is important in broadcast.
3. A script written for the ear should appeal to the senses.
4. The biggest difference between writing for print-based products and writing for
broadcast is not in how the material is received.
5. Broadcast writing structure isn’t exactly conversational.
6. Scripts often include phonetic elements called phonetics.
7. When you need to use abbreviations, you can use hyphens and spacing to dictate
how you want someone to pronounce something.
8. Broadcast copy tends to use exact numbers.
9. Broadcast writing tends to follow less of an inverted-pyramid structure than print or
Web writing.
10. In broadcast, the writers assume that the audience members are fully paying
attention to the story.
11. The lead of a broadcast story is akin to a print or Web headline.
12. The first sentence of a broadcast body story will look like a print lead, although still
not as detailed.
13. The final sentence of the story should find a way to bring the story full circle and
close the loop.
14. Unlike the other media used to disseminate content, broadcast has a face–to-face
component to it that gives it a more impersonal feel for the audience members.
15. When journalists create stories for broadcast, the goal is to use the video and the
spoken words to augment and support each other.
Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
16. Small portions of recorded interviews are called soundbites or actualities.
17. A voice-over has no video or soundbites and just has the journalist reading the story
aloud.
18. VO/SOT stands for “voice–over/sound on tape” and integrates the use of a
soundbite or two into a story.
19. The package involves integrating interaction between the reporter and the anchor
during a live newscast.
20. The types of stories broadcast journalists create vary based on length and the
integration of video and audio elements.
Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Short Answer
1. What are some things to consider when writing broadcast stories?
2. What are some script writing basics?
3. How is a broadcast lead different from a print lead?
4. How is a broadcast story different from a print story?
5. What ways can you close a broadcast story?
Filak, Dynamics of Media Writing, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Essay
1. How can you best prepare broadcast writing?
2. What is the difference between writing for print and writing for broadcast?
3. How do broadcast stories and print stories differ in terms of structure?
4. How can you integrate additional elements into broadcast writing?
5. What are some different types of broadcast stories?